Jerry Fenter

While I’ve been thinking about my two day beginner’s workshop and my Mexican workshop in April, I’ve run into lots of people who would love to start classes and take workshops but who tell me, “I don’t have any talent.  I’ve never been creative.”  This always makes me sad.  These people are mystified by the creative process and I think are also afraid to let creative activities into their lives.  Somewhere in their past there must have been an “evildoer” who told them to color inside the lines or (as in my case) made me mouth the words to a song so my singing wouldn’t ruin the Christmas play (I’ll never forget Mr. Beach.  He kept me from singing for years).   If you’re one of those people who are afraid to venture into the creative world I suggest you put the past in the past and regress to an age when “the rules” weren’t  so darned important, when time stretched out forever before you and each day was a new adventure.  To be creative first you have to relearn how to play.  “She’s gone out of her mind, ” you’re thinking.  No I have not. In the world today there seems to be so much to worry about that we forget that creativity, painting, writing, the arts, poetry and music are what keeps this  crazy and nasty world going around.  This is why people go out to make money.  They buy books and art.  They look for wonderful tasty meals.  They go to movies and plays.  Some like to go out dancing and some like the beauty of putting a new plant in their garden.

To  take that first step towards creativity you must take yourself by the hand and go back and become a child.  Children understand fun and will play with everything and anything.  Remember the excitement you felt as a child just looking at bugs, sitting on the porch on a warm summer night or just chasing a ball?  Children aren’t embarrassed or shy about expressing themselves creatively.  The secret is all about forgetting what others may think.  When it comes down to it it’s only ourselves who can keep us from doing the things we’ve always wanted to do.  So my first suggestion is this.  Set aside a time (long or short) to do something you want to do.  Play during this time.  Scribble on paper, use crayons again, go to a movie, read a chapter in a book that you’ve put off reading for a long time, or write a silly story.  Don’t tell anyone.  It’s our secret.  You’re not competing with anyone.  Test drive this idea and see how it feels.  Don’t set goals but let go and express yourself.  At the movie be in the movie.  Use crazy colors of crayons that you think would never go together.  More than anything…let go!  It’s time to play!

This is  a fun two day workshop for those who are just beginning and are interested in watercolor.  It will be held at The Dalles Art Center, 220 E 4th, The Dalles, Oregon 97058.  The dates are January 24th and 25th from 11:00am to 4:00 pm.  For more information and a supply sheet call 541-296-4759 or contact Jerry at 509-365-5119 or fenter@gorge.net . The price is $40 per day.  (total $80.00)

As I was busy updating my website this afternoon I realized it’s also time to update my life. This has been some year. We’ve had an awful economy, a neverending election and so much sad news it was hard to concentrate on much else. For a few weeks I’ve been buried under about six feet of snow and have had time to do some deep thinking and predicting. Next year is going to be great! I know that in my bones. I want to shake out any negative cobwebs and get to work at what I love. I’m an artist. I need to get into my studio and paint. Ideas are stacked high in my sketchbooks and they’re itching to get out and become paintings.  This year I want to share my work with more people than ever and also to encourage everyone to start taking some risks of their own. Look at art, make art, support art, laugh and experiement with new passions. As Anais Nin said so well:
“Never crystalize.
Remain open
to change, renewal,
adventure,
experiment.”
I Hope lots of your dreams come true this year.

It’s almost Christmas.  I look out my window and there is over four feet of snow on the ground.  It’s beautiful.  It’s nine degrees outside and I’m distracted.  I can tell that I won’t work in the studio today.  Here in Timber Valley everything is quiet and white.  My studio is filled with all sorts of paper, paints, collage materials and wrapping paper.  Sketchbooks are everywhere and notes with ideas for paintings tacked to my bulletin board.

I hope all of you will try and make it to my show at the Attic Gallery in Portland this month.  I have seven “Bedtime Stories” watercolors that look  really great framed and up on the gallery walls.  My head is filled with more stories to paint and share.  In these hard economic times I hope all of you are supporting your favorite artists.   To us art is a full time job and a calling.  We can’t not make art.  I think art is what makes all other subjects matter.

Remember to sign up for my Mexico class as soon as you can.  Imagine us painting in a palaypa while gazing at the Pacific Ocean and then swimming in the La Paloma pool until dinner.  Sounds great, yes?  Have wonderful holidays and keep dry and warm.

It’s me, Jerry, here to remind all of you in or near the Portland area to join Ron and me for our annual Fall Sale. It will be next weekend Saturday and Sunday, November 1st and 2nd from 10am to 4 pm. The address is 210 NE Fargo, Portland, Oregon 97212 (one block west of MLK Blvd). If you have questions you can reach us at 509-365-5119. 

We have lots of art including watercolors, collages, sculpture and more. There will be close out prices on all prints and many paintings. Refreshments will be served. Hope to see lots of you there.